Back then
by WarRain
Summary: Sakura is caught between her feelings for Naruto and the possible pain of losing him, being that the Kyuubi may break the seal. Kakashi, to help her see things clearly, sends her back in time with a jutsu to before the Kyuubi's attack and before her birth
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, ladies and gents. Fellow readers and reviewers, I hope very much that you enjoy this fic if you so chose to read it. And, if that grace happens to befall on this fic, I hope you will review. If not, alas! That cannot be helped, right? Well, at any rate, enjoy yourselves!**

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"Sakura-chan? Hey, are you still there?" Naruto asked, waving his hands in front of her face.

Sakura blinked, then, realizing that she had been staring, blushed. "Sorry… I guess I spaced out."

Naruto blinked in return. Promptly, he began conversation again. "Yeah, I do that all the time! Once, when we were in Iruka-sensei's class, I-."

Sakura, once again, sank back into her thoughts.

'I wonder…is it really possible that the seal is weakening? It really doesn't seem to be at all impaired right now, but… The seal was made stronger since the last time. Though, there is no telling how far the Kyuubi's power stretches…or it's will to gain complete control over Naruto. No! Naruto is stronger than the Kyuubi, Kakashi-sensei even said so, himself… Can he be wrong? Naruto is unbelievable, but is he invincible?' Sakura was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts again by a loud laughter that rang out, even through the noise of the restaurant and Sakura's thoughts.

"Do you think that's right, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked as he wiped tears of laughter from his eyes.

"Um… Yes." Sakura answered. She nodded her head in a positive way. If there was one thing that would be so about 99 of the time with Naruto, it was, if you weren't listening and he asked a question like that, the right answer would be yes.

Naruto's cheeks blew outwards like he was holding in some sick, semi-solid food (throw-up). He seemed to be gagging on it.

Sakura took this as a bad thing.

Naruto's face became very pink, and then, slowly, very red.

This gave Sakura the impression that he was choking. "Oh, god! Naruto! Are you okay? Are you choking? Naruto?! Answer me!"

Naruto's chest shook as if he was trying to gasp for air that couldn't make it through. His face became purple. He fell off of his stool and landed on his back on the floor.

"Oh god! I told you not to shovel in food like that! I told you you'd choke!"

All of a sudden, Naruto's mouth burst open as if a wound up spring worked it.

Spit and bits of ramen exploded out as if they were ocean spray bouncing up off the shore after a big wave broke against it.

Naruto had not been choking; he had been holding in laughter.

Sakura closed her eyes tightly, gritted her teeth, and balled up her fists.

"You think it's likely that Kiba is right and Ino is the one who is stealing Kakashi sensei's books?" Naruto snickered as he stood up again.

Naruto opened his eyes long enough to sigh and grin up at Sakura.

This was also just enough time for Naruto to realize Sakura was no longer in front of him and see something light in color hurtling at him out of the corner of his eye.

Naruto hastily ducked, but it was not quickly enough and the thing hit him full force in the ear.

Naruto prepared himself to grimace and whine, but the object that hit him didn't hurt.

He pulled it out of his hair to find it was a flower petal.

Naruto gave it an amused look before putting it on the counter.

The blonde haired boy let out a strangled cry of surprise when something slammed into his smiling face.

Naruto stumbled backwards, and then crashed into the counter, where he slipped slowly downward in a dazed pain.

Sakura stood above him menacingly, looking down upon him like a bird of prey.

Blood trickled out of Naruto's nose as he stared up into Sakura's eyes, actually afraid.

"S-Sakura-chan… I-I… sorry…" Naruto said, almost pleadingly.

Her fury seemed to have just evaporated at this.

"Fine." She glared.

Naruto cowered only a moment longer before Sakura let out a slightly annoyed sigh.

She offered a hand to Naruto, who gratefully took it.

Sakura took a very well timed step forward and slipped on what must have been water from mopping the floor, taking Naruto with her.

In effort to keep the both from falling, Naruto grabbed at anything that came in contact with his hand.

The pair fell in very slow motion, it seemed.

The room became silent as the dining people watched their struggle with gravity.

Naruto grabbed a handful of tablecloth, but that was wasted when a shower of forks hit him.

He again made to grab something solid.

Naruto let out an echoing yell as he grabbed a knife.

He quickly withdrew his hand.

Naruto spent the moment before Sakura and he hit the ground with the pondering thoughts of why a knife was in a ramen shop and why he hadn't seen the water before.

Several seconds passed before anyone spoke. When someone finally did, it was Sakura. "Naruto, will you get off of me?"

Naruto gave her a bemused expression before it occured to him that he was, in fact, on top of Sakura, and it would be wise to obey.

He stood up and brushed himself off. Sakura quickly followed suit.

Naruto's bleeding hand comes to her attention. "Naruto… your hand. Are you okay?"

"This?" Naruto asked. He looked at his right hand and shook it. "It's nothing. I was being stupid, and I cut it on a knife when I grabbed the counter to stop us from falling."

"Let me fix it for you." Sakura said more commandingly than suggestively.

"Alright…" Naruto trailed off. Without warning, he pushed her away and dived to the side.

Half a second later, a bottle of sake smashed into the floor previously occupied by Sakura.

The warmed alcohol flooded around the broken shards of glass on the floor.

Naruto looked around with a sort of astuteness only he could have.

He dodged out of the way of an incoming bowl and ran to Sakura.

"Sakura! Are you okay?" He asked, concerned etched into every feature.

"Fine, thank you." Sakura nodded.

"Sorry that I did that. If I hurt you, you can-." He started.

Sakura's eyes widened with vigilance as she realized it. Either this particular ramen stand was haunted, which was very ridiculous, or someone was after them. No, wait. Not after them. After him. They were after Naruto, the Kyuubi vessel.

'The only other reason would be to shed blood, but that isn't a reason… it's a whim.' Sakura pondered.

She looked up again.

Naruto watched her with concern. "Sakura, are you-?"

"Naruto!" She screamed, desperate. "Move!"

The blonde gave her an alarmed stare before he turned around.

He was hit full in the chest by a bottle.

"Damn it!" Naruto cursed his slothfulness.

He closed his eyes and in a moment, the wound was healing.

Naruto seemed to grimace and his hands shot automatically to his seal.

The restaurant was filled with screams and shouts, several costumers ran out.

A bowl smashed in the wall right next to Sakura, but, in a flash, Naruto was right in front of her, eyes blazing scarlet and anger.

The sound of shattering glass became almost a pattern without pause.

It crashed into Naruto, broke, then shattered again as it hit the floor, the edges coated in blood.

For an instant, Sakura's eyes connected with Naruto's, and Sakura despaired, for she could see the wild, unrestrained hysteria that gleamed behind his gaze.

A sake bottle broke against the back of his head, and Naruto sank to his knees, on all fours.

A half growl, half groan escaped piteously from his lips as he tried to ignore the intense pain.

The alcohol burned in the wounds and mixed with the blood, causing a thin dark red liquid to cascade to the glass covered ground.

All that could be heard for a long while was both Naruto and Sakura's ragged breathing, adrenalin speeding their breaths, and the crunch of glass.

Sakura was alerted by an unexpected sound that sickened her. It was the noise similar to the familiar sound of cutting deep into a live human's flesh during an operation.

It was forceful, like something had punctured deep into flesh, muscle, chakra, blood, and bone.

She saw that Naruto was frozen in place, a black, pole-like object stuck through the center of his seal.

Blood dripped thickly from the pole, collecting onto the ground.

Sakura is momentarily too paralyzed with fear and shock to act.

There Naruto bled in front of her, skewered like a shish kabob.

Then he started to move, trying frenetically to somehow remove himself from the object akin to a spear.

His frenzied attempts became more vicious as he continued to pull, rip, tear, and thrash like an untamed beast.

It was clear to her that Naruto was receiving help in his struggle by the Kyuubi.

Also clear to her was the fact that no matter how uncontrollable Naruto had become or how powerful, no amount of feral or frantic chakra was going to help his efforts.

At this, Sakura cried.

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**Hey, again, too all of you that made it through that! Sorry that it's a tad bit long, but, if you made it to here, you must not be completely furious with the length of it and are willing to forgive me. Since you've made it this far, and we have both made effort to make it here, why waste your effort, at least? Please review and tell me if you loved it (which is doubtful), liked it (which is more likely), disliked it (again, is likely), or hated it, (with which I'll be ashamed with myself for making you suffer through it), and if you say something of the above, tell me what I need improving on, why you loved/ liked/ disliked/ hated it, and what ever else your heart desires.**

**See ya next chap, maybe?**

**-WarRain.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry, to those of you who care, that the update was a little wait. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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"I think Konoha's going down hill, now."

Sakura froze at the sound, then looked to the area where it had come from.

She wasn't surprised to see a shinobi now behind Naruto.

The ninja had probably used a jutsu to become invisible during his attack.

Sakura waited for the ninja to start speaking again before she struck.

"I kind of expected more out of the shinobi here, especially the Kyuubi vessel, didn't you?"

Sakura rose and sprinted at the ninja.

She struck him in the chest, but he hit her hard in the stomach and she crumbled to the floor.

"That was sneaky." The man mocked.

Sakura finally saw the other ninja that this one had been talking to.

The shinobi in front of her picked her up by her throat.

Sakura gasped for a moment, then the ninja dropped her on her butt.

Naruto tumbled forward, having detached himself from the spear.

"Brat! He bit me!" The man roared.

The blood was clear where the spear had skewered Naruto, and the stain grew a little each few seconds.

The second ninja kicked the blonde in exactly the place where the pole had driven through.

Naruto let out a cry of pain and clutched his stomach, eyes closed in pain.

The first ninja walked over to Naruto and the other ninja.

Sakura noticed that the first ninja's hand was bleeding thickly from the bite.

The shinobi raised his foot and crushed it into Naruto's wound.

Sakura got up and attacked, but the second ninja caught her in the gut with a kick.

She hit her head against the counter and slid to the ground with a moan.

Naruto saw this and tried to push the first ninja off.

The man allowed this, but punched Naruto at the mark of blood.

Naruto winced and hit the ground.

The second ninja picked up Sakura again, unhindered by Naruto.

Naruto managed to pick himself up and attempt to tackle the man, but the sandaled foot of the second shinobi hit him in the jaw.

Naruto crawled to his feet again and kicked the second man in the… well, you get it, I think.

With a cry of pain and surprise, the second ninja dropped Sakura and in his daze, kicked Naruto in the side.

The blonde rolled across the floor and stopped at the first ninja's feet, who promptly raised the boy into the air and kicked him across the room, again.

Naruto sprawled across the floor, unconscious.

The first ninja took out a kunai knife and poised himself to stab.

The blade had barely reached Naruto's throat when the door of the ramen-stand (Not Ichiraku's ramen-stand) flung open and Kakashi burst into the room.

Though Shikamaru and Kiba accompanied him, he didn't seem to need their help with only two ninjas.

Kakashi was angrier than Sakura had ever seen him, and ever wished to see him again.

Before she even had a chance to greet her sensei, he had torn off his forehead protector, revealing the sharingan, and started to mercilessly beat the two shinobi.

Sakura, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Akamaru (though with less detail since dogs really can't see color) stared in astonishment as the calm, cool sensei made a blood bath out of the two ninja.

Sakura shook off her headache and moved towards Naruto. **(She's going to have a headache, especially after bonking her head as hard as she did)**

His wounds were bad and weren't healing instantly like they always did.

Sakura decided that this had something to do with the seal being plunged through.

"Is he okay?" Asked Kiba quietly.

Sakura shook her head and spoke the three words she never wanted to speak medical condition-wise, especially of Naruto: "I don't know."

Kakashi was done soon after that and was crouching next to Sakura almost instantly.

"He's breathing." Kakashi said. "We should get him to the hospital."

Shikamaru nodded. "A ramen-stand isn't an ideal place to heal people."

Kakashi agreed.

The sensei stood over his usually loud student, trying to figure out the best way of transportation. Having found none, he picked Naruto up and put him over his shoulder.

Then Kiba spoke up. "Kakashi-sensei, you can use Akamaru. He'll probably be a better way to carry Naruto."

Kakashi nodded curtly, though meaning no offense to the ninken owner.

"You… you can ride him with Naruto, instead of me." Kiba added wisely.

Behind Kakashi's mask, there was movement, perhaps a twitch of the lips.

At any rate, Kakashi sounded much more patient and friendly as he replied. "Thank you."

Kiba shrugged. "No prob. I'm not his sensei."

Shikamaru snorted, then looked to the sky.

Kiba half-glared at the laid-back languid character that was Shikamaru. Though, he couldn't help but release the glare and give the lazy shinobi a feral grin.

Kakashi gently placed his team's loudmouth onto Akamaru's broad back.

The copy ninja himself jumped on and the great white dog leapt off into the night carrying the sensei and his student.

The three younger ninja walked on after the dog and his passengers.

"Thank you, Kiba." Sakura thanked.

Kiba, once again, shrugged. "You know any one of us would've done the same."

Sakura nodded. "Thanks, anyway."

"This is troublesome." Shikamaru sighed.

"Yeah. I wonder if they'll come back?" Kiba wondered out loud.

"Yes, that's part of it." Shikamaru agreed. "Then there's the fact that they were Rock Nins. You have to wonder why rock Nins are out here."

"In a ramen-stand." Sakura pointed out.

"You probably know why, I'm guessing." Kiba said to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru sighed again. "I figured it out." He nodded at Sakura. "She's known for a while about it."

Kiba (also) nodded grimly. "That'll be a problem. Hope they don't try to get Naruto when he's down."

"So, you know?" Sakura asked.

"I've known for a while, now. So has Kiba. All of us know, really." Shikamaru replied.

Sakura bit her lip then went on as cheerfully as she could. "It's probably best that you know."

"It doesn't really change anything." Kiba told her. "I know I don't think of him any differently than before, except, it does explain a lot."

Shikamaru shrugged. "It'll help us better prepare for things like this."

Sakura attempted a smile, but it failed to show up on her face.

She swallowed. "What if… if it happens again and he is asleep? What if someone comes after him?"

Kiba and Shikamaru looked at each other solemnly.

The Inuzuka broke the somber stare and grinned at Sakura. "Don't worry, Shikamaru and I'll be there with Neji and Shino, taking shifts."

"Naruto… he loses his mind to the Kyuubi, sometimes." Sakura informed, dubious of the four's ability to actually calm Naruto.

"That's nothing we can't help, if Naruto can't help it himself, right Shikamaru?" Kiba asked, nudging the now spacing out boy in the ribs.

"Oh… yeah. It's all taken care of." Shikamaru replied in a mellow tone.

"See? We'll take care of it. Anyway, you're bleeding." Kiba pointed out.

"Huh?" Sakura responded.

"Yeah, on your head. I think you should get it checked out. It might not be that bad, but at least you can get your leg fixed, at the same time. You're limping."

Sakura, as he was speaking, touched her hand to her head. She gently moved across.

She winced, having found the tender spot. Sakura pulled away her hand and saw blood on it.

She also realized that Kiba was right about her limp.

In all of the excitement, Sakura had barely noticed, but now it was becoming more and more apparent and pained.

Sakura stopped walking, or limping.

Kiba and Shikamaru followed suit and turned around to face Sakura.

She tried to put pressure on her leg, but in the end it was pointless.

Sakura gasped when she took a step to continue their walk to the hospital.

Kiba and Shikamaru went over to her.

"Sorry I told you that," Kiba apologized, "if I didn't, you probably wouldn't have noticed and been fine all the way up to the hospital."

"It's fine." Sakura forgave.

"Here." Kiba said in a brotherly tone, "you can lean on me so you won't have to put so much pressure on your leg." **(The relationship between Kiba and Sakura is strictly brotherly and sisterly! I will repeat this at the end!)**

Sakura smiled gratefully and allowed Kiba to help her.

They were an odd trio, coming into the hospital.

A somewhat beat up pink haired young woman with a nice look to her leaning against a somewhat feral looking young man, followed by another young man with his hands shoved deep in his pockets and his attention clearly somewhere else.

"Oi! Sakura!" Kiba called somewhere outside in the hallway.

Sakura could hear him from her hospital room.

"They said Naruto will be okay, at least, if he doesn't have too much activity and stays here for a few days."

Sakura smiled. "Naruto didn't like that, I bet."

Kiba blushed out of his failure to tell her the blonde's condition. "I dunno," he said, "he was unconscious when I told him."

Sakura's smile grew widely amused. "Alright." She laughed.

"Oh, yeah. They said that you could leave tomorrow if you want your leg fixed, tonight if you don't want it fixed."

Sakura snorted. "I think it'd be a good deal to get it fixed."

"Exactly." Kiba responded. "See ya!"

Sakura shook her head, amused. Kiba was weird in many senses of the word, but he was like a brother to her.

"Sensei," said Shikamaru, "do you think that they'll come again tonight?"

Kakashi fixed the genius with his only normal eye, actually unsure, himself. "It would be foolish in some ways, and wise in others, but there's no real way of knowing, not with this."

"Do you think they will, Kakashi-sensei?" Kiba questioned.

"Honestly, I'm leaning towards no, but I think in my gut that they will. What do you think?" Kakashi answered, and then asked his own question.

"I think yes, and I have a gut feeling of yes. Though, it seems a little stupid, since you completely massacred those two Rock Nins." Kiba replied.

Shikamaru nodded. "That's what I was thinking."

"Just be on your guard. They should bring more than two, this time." Kakashi decided.

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**End chapter! Kiba and Sakura have a strictly brotherly-sisterly relationship! Nothing more than brotherly-sisterly friends! Alright?**

** Okay, please review! I need some ideas on what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong, if this story is liked or hated! Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Time to continue the madness! Sorry for the long wait. Thank you for listening to this crap of mine… And, I hope the cops aren't coming to get me because I forgot to write the disclaimer… Heh. I don't own Naruto! On to the fic!**

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"Shikamaru?" Kiba said.

"… Huh?" Shikamaru replied lazily.

"I smell something." Kiba informed.

"You're always smelling things." Shikamaru pointed out.

"Well, yeah…" said Kiba, "but it's not a scent I know-!"

Before Kiba could finish, Shikamaru interrupted him. "Obviously. Did you think that you might not be acquainted with every employee of the hospital, despite how frequently you are accommodated here?"

"It's not that," Kiba went on, impatiently waving off Shikmaru's thoughts on the matter, "it doesn't smell like Konoha."

Shikamaru's face changed slightly. "That's weird. You'd think someone would be more careful of that factor."

"Really? It could just be a foreigner, or maybe someone who has been away on a long mission." Kiba reasoned.

"Prehaps." Shikamaru nodded.

The two sat in silence for a moment before Kiba spoke again.

"The scent disappeared." He told Shikamaru uneasily.

This was confusing and Shikamaru currently had no answer to it, so he labeled the phenomenon as something to look out for.

Instead of using his tired brain to figure out the mystery, Shikamaru settled for a question. "Why is it that you lied to Sakura about the taking shifts with Neji and Shino? They won't be back from their mission for a few days."

Kiba sighed loudly, as if he dreaded and expected the question. "Well, she's like a sister that I can actually help, and telling her that we'll be the only ones on the job might get her worried about Naruto and us. When I told her that we're taking shifts, all of her worries lifted."

"Oh, I see." Shikamaru averted his eyes, smirking.

"Hey! No, it's not like that at all. Do you know how sick it would be if I started crushing on my sister? That's what it's like with Sakura. She's kind of off limits, you know, because it'd just feel really…" Kiba trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Sick?" Suggested Shikamaru.

"Err, yeah. It'd be sick and twisted. I would not do that to Sakura. If I did, it'd be affecting Naruto, as well. I don't think you even know how berserk he would go on my ass if I so much as poke her when she doesn't want to be poked! Even I'm not that protective, but he has good reason to be with someone like Sakura. You didn't see her when she didn't know if Naruto would be okay, but I did."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Alright man, I believe you. Wouldn't do that to those two, okay. You take the first shift, I'm gonna sleep."

"What?! No! We agreed to both be awake!" argued Kiba.

"Yeah, well… nothing's going to happen tonight anyway. Just let me sleep." Shikamaru yawned.

"Well, uh! But! Fine." Kiba finally agreed. "You have to take a shift too, though."

"Whatever." Shikamaru smiled, knowing he hadn't agreed.

Shikamaru slept the night away, despite the angry curses coming from Kiba.

**01234567890**

In the morning, Sakura's leg was fixed, but she was still forced to rest.

Kiba and Shikamaru visited her at one o'clock in the afternoon to wish her fast healing and tell her of Naruto's condition.

"Hey Sakura!" Kiba greeted cheerily, opening the door.

He waltzed right in, followed by Shikamaru who was wearing an occupied expression.

"Hi Kiba! Hi Shikamaru!" Sakura smiled.

"What's up? How's your day been?" Kiba asked.

Sakura laughed. "I haven't really been doing anything, Kiba. They've told me that I have to rest a little bit longer."

Although Sakura's laughter broke Shikamaru's absent-minded reverie, he stayed silent and watched the two converse with amusement.

"Why's that? Do they think there's something up with your head?" Kiba questioned.

Sakura smiled amiably. "Clever. I'm not completely sure, but they want me to rest. They say it was a pretty bad crack against my head. My leg's healed but a little stiff. Tsunade believes I might be a tad lightheaded for a while, maybe dizzy. So I'm stuck here for a day or two more."

"Awww… Sucks for you!" Kiba grinned.

"Shut up! You shouldn't mock temporarily 'technically' crippled people!" Sakura shot back.

Kiba feigned a pout. "But Mooooom! That's my hobby!"

"It'll happen soon enough to you, if you aren't careful. And when it does, do you know what I'll do?" Sakura said.

"Preferably heal me." He shrugged.

"No. I'm gonna laugh… at you."

Kiba snickered. "Yeah, okay. You are the ultimate sadist."

"Alright, fine. How's Naruto doing?" Sakura asked.

"Eh, he's great, I suppose, though I wouldn't want to be in his head."

"So in other words?" Sakura urged Kiba to continue.

"On a one to ten, I think Naruto is a five. I think he'd prefer to be awake, but it's a good thing he's not." Answered Kiba.

Sakura sighed. "A great job I did of preventing that."

"No, don't say that! It was a surprise attack, directed at him. The village should have been secure." Kiba replied.

"Ninjas are supposed to be prepared for anything." Sakura responded glumly.

Kiba opened his mouth to argue, but Shikamaru cut off his attempt and spoke first.

It was probably a good thing, because Kiba wasn't exactly full of good points to give a doleful woman at the time.

Shikamaru said, "I know I wouldn't have been ready for invisible Rock nins to attack me in a ramen stand that late at night, especially when Rock nins haven't invaded for decades. I wouldn't expect them to specifically target my eating partner or me."

Sakura looked sore and rather docile at that moment, so Kiba intervened. "I wouldn't have, either. Shikamaru and I, we're pretty decent shinobi, would you say so?"

Sakura nodded meekly.

"Well, neither Shikamaru nor I would have anticipated that kind of thing would happen. I think you're a really decent shinobi, so case closed. No problem, right?"

Sakura smiled. "Using big words, eh, Kiba?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess so. What of it?"

"I surmise that that may be a sign that you are finally getting more smarter." Sakura smirked.

"It's not 'more smarter,' it's 'smarter.'" Kiba corrected with a grin.

"I know, I was mocking you."

At this, Shikamaru laughed out loud, disregarding the dirty looks he was getting from Kiba.

**I will now skip to that night**

"Shikamaru, I'm gonna go take a pee…" Kiba informed.

"That's great. Good luck." Shikamaru said absently.

"Yeah, thanks." Kiba responded awkwardly.

"Take the room key!" Shikamaru suddenly snapped out of his spacey trance long enough to order that Kiba do that.

"Err… alright." Said Kiba even more awkwardly, not quite used to the lazy boy suddenly snapping out of space to give out orders.

Once Kiba got done with his… well, his act of relief, he did all the right things that you do in a bathroom and exited.

He went to the hospital room that occupied Naruto and Shikamaru. He automatically pulled out the room key (which is like the hotel things… the credit card like-objects) and slid it through the lock.

The door clicked and Kiba began to pull it open, but then he heard a sound uncommon in a near empty wing of a hospital.

He heard footsteps.

He let the door handle slip in his concentration.

It loudly clicked shut.

Kiba jumped.

"What the hell, Kiba?" Shikamaru asked, slipping out of the door.

The ninken user gulped. "I hear footsteps."

Shikamaru looked at Kiba dubiously. "Is this some sort of ghost story for senses? First you smell things, and then you hear things. What's next? Seeing things?"

"What? That's not what this is!" Kiba whispered.

"You can cut it with the whispering. How am I supposed to believe something that's completely illogical and I have no way of confirming?"

"I have a way around that." Kiba hissed.

"Then, what is it, Dog-Boy? Hey, you know, I'll have to start calling you D.B." Shikamaru said.

"Listen." Advised Kiba through clenched teeth.

Shikamaru was suddenly and distressingly aware of the soft 'slap slap' of sandals on tile.

All of a sudden, the footfalls quieted.

"Where are they?" murmured Kiba.

"I don't know, but I think they realize that we know that they're here." Shikamaru replied in a monotone.

For the next few moments, Shikamaru's heart was pounding in his throat and blood was pounding in his head.

Then, the floor in front of him began to glow like fresh coal had been dumped on it.

"Exploding note." Shikamaru muttered. Then he looked over at Kiba. "What are you doing?"

"Give me a sec, I'm busy." Kiba answered, pulling out a kunai and 2 exploding notes of his own. "You get out of the way of the explosion, I'm going to be right behind you."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and took off abruptly in the opposite direction.

The explosion soon, followed, but Kiba was not behind him.

"Stupid." Shikamaru said, then ran back toward the explosion.

He looked up just in time to see Kiba put the kunai with the attached exploding note into one of the Rock ninja's stomachs.

Kiba turned around and ran straight into Shikamaru, unaware of the other's approach.

The Inuzuka shook it off and got up, dragging Shikamaru with him while Shikamaru gave lazy protests stating his ability to walk unaided.

Kiba finally let go, allowing Shikamaru to nearly fall on his face.

The rock ninja exploded, taking the ninja next to him with him.

"I almost didn't notice the part where you weren't right behind me." Commented Shikamaru.

"Well, that doesn't really matter right now, does it?" Kiba snapped, keeping an eye on the enemy ninja.

"I don't suppose it does, though sometimes it's nice to actually be able to trust your word as what you'll do."

"Sorry, I don't always have time to think things through, and I'm not a genius like you. I'm a little more of a spontaneous, impulsive, spur-of-the-moment guy."

"Now isn't a good time to get angry at each other." Shikamaru responded tersely.

"Right, not the opportune moment to dig into our shit. Dually noted." Kiba shrugged.

"Great. You just had to go blow one of them up, didn't you?" Shikamaru moaned.

"Two of them." Kiba corrected.

"Yeah, even better. Now that you've blown two of them into the great blown up abyss, I don't think they'll be too happy with us."

"Like they were singing our praises before." Kiba muttered.

"Here they come."

Before the words could fully take affect, the ninja were upon them.

The only things breaking Shikamaru's concentration were the screams of mortal pain that he feared might be Kiba's, but other than that, the only distracting occurrences were the times when he was stricken.

Kiba punched the jaw of a rock ninja hard, flooring him.

He threw a few haphazard kunai at the grounded man and took him for dead to continue his fights.

Suddenly, the window beside him exploded, the force of the blast sending Kiba to the floor.

Shards of glass and chucks of wood crashed into him, but he had to be quick on his feet… err, back.

An airborne rock nin came down at him, so Kiba grabbed a stray katana and swung it in front of him at the last second.

The ninja was shish kabobed instantly.

Shikamaru ducked, narrowly avoiding several kunai knives.

No matter how many ninja were defeated, which the number was definitely growing larger, there was an endless amount to replenish the gaps.

Suddenly, the room ignited with Katon jutsus.

Kiba barely dodged one, and the ball of fire smacked into the floor beside him.

A second later, the flames seemed to have given way to an explosion, and Kiba was flat on his face from the force of the explosion.

Kiba saw Shikamaru realize that exploding notes were hidden in the Katons, so there was one less worry.

Shikamaru punched out a ninja the moment he touched the floor in front of him, but the Kage Mane user failed to notice the Katon coming in behind him.

Kiba got up and tried to motion to Shikamaru, but the genius clearly wasn't getting it.

He dove at Shikamaru and tackled him to the ground just as the extreme heat spiraled above them.

Kiba grimaced when the flames licked at his back, burning it.

Both hit the ground hard and rolled slightly.

Kiba sat up shakily then looked warily about the room.

The ninja were coming again, and Shikamaru was beginning to question the end of it, however that would turn out.

A ninja crept up behind him, but Shikamaru could think fast whether he was on his feet or on his ass, so his Kage Mane no Jutsu caught the ninja just in time and Kiba drove a kunai through his throat.

They both stood up and adroitly readied themselves.

Shikamaru ducked another kunai and struck the rock ninja in front of him in the jaw.

Close by, Kiba kneed the shinobi immediately in front of him in the chest.

Shikamaru fell to a Katon, letting out a shout of surprise as it unexpectedly hit him.

"Damn it." Cursed Kiba and he launched into the seals for his infamous Gatsuuga **(can't remember so well… please, if I made a mistake here, inform me of it!).**

Shikamaru used Kage Mane to hold multiple people in place before he threw kunai knives to slit their throats.

Kiba ran down four ninjas with his Gatsuuga before he stopped without warning and collapsed.

A kunai knife was stuck in his right shoulder.

"Kiba-?" Shikamaru started, but he perhaps started his question too late.

Kiba exploded.

* * *

**Dramatic, no? Sorry, didn't have a lot of Naruto in it, did it? Well, Naruto is a little bit unconscious, so that's expected. Anyway, please review! I would like to have three reviews at least, but the desires of the author are always less important than that of the reader! Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening!**

**-WarRain**


	4. Chapter 4

**I believe I ****must**** be evil! I made some people reviewing quite upset, or at least, portray themselves as somewhat upset in their reviews… Sorry! You must think much less of me! I do not own Naruto, but I have in my possession an evil beyond what I thought! There will be bad language throughout this chapter! Sorry folks!**

**On to the fic! Forgive me!**

**1234567890**

Kiba exploded.

Shikamaru stood there for several seconds in shock, not able to believe his eyes.

He was brought out of his shock when a series of coughs came from inside the clearing smoke left by the explosion.

"Kiba!?" Shikamaru half exclaimed, half questioned, forgetting their situation.

"…Ah, shit!" answered Kiba's voice, still coughing.

Seemingly out of nowhere, something solid connected with the back of Shikamaru's head, and he went sprawling to the floor.

'The hell?' he thought, but the situation came flooding back to him.

Shikamaru immediately tried to scramble to his feet, but there he met an obstacle. Actually, several obstacles in the form of Rock nins.

Hoping that Kiba would take flight, Shikamaru stood up under the supervision of the rock nins.

Unfortunately, as Shikamaru found out, Kiba did not take flight, but took the method of fight and anger the opposing ninja.

With a mix of horror and amusement, Shikamaru witnessed Kiba being a dumbass.

"Piss off!" Kiba said.

'Dumbass,' thought Shikamaru, 'at least go easily. We don't need to push them when they've already got us.'

"Hey, shit-head, cut it out or I'll kick your ass!" Kiba threatened.

A moment later, the rock ninja that Kiba had been addressing gave him a sharp blow to the jaw.

Shikamaru grimaced. He knew that this would not turn out well if Kiba kept rebelling.

On that subject, things wouldn't turn out well if he did stop rebelling. Either way, things didn't seem to have a good outcome. Though, Shikamaru did think keeping things under control and not so bloody until they had to be was a better choice, overall.

"Kiba, shut up!" Shikamaru burst out.

Kiba blinked, a scowl planted firmly on his face.

This also took the rock nins by surprise, also.

"Fine, jackass." Kiba muttered.

Finally, the rock ninja escorted Kiba, rather forcefully, over to where Shikamaru stood.

"Where's the Kyuubi vessel?" A rock ninja asked.

Kiba's eyes narrowed. "Where do you think, you dumbass, son of a-!" Another harsh clout to the side of his face sent Kiba into silence, glaring.

Shikamaru sighed. "We can't tell you that. We don't know."

The rock nin grinned. "Right. You don't know where he is, yet you're protecting him. I repeat, where is he?"

"If we heard you the first time, what makes you think we'll come around the second time? Lack of common sense?" Kiba sneered.

The same rock nin raised his arm threateningly. Kiba mocked the motion.

He ducked the coming blow and flipped the guy the bird.

The rock nin thwacked Kiba on the head.

"Bastard." Kiba rolled his eyes like a pouting child.

Shikamaru nudged him, trying to get him to get the message. 'Shut up.' He said mentally.

"Fine. He's in there." Shikamaru pointed to their room.

Kiba gave him a look saying, 'Now why the hell did you have to tell them that?'

"Great, we'll just go get him." The rock nin, apparently the leader of the mission, announced.

Here, Kiba smirked. "You can't." he grinned.

"Why not?" The ninja frowned.

"Oh, probably because if you force the door, the alarm indicating intruders goes off."

It was a risky bluff, but it was worth a try.

"Yeah. As soon as that door clicks when it's locked, everyone will know that someone else is here that isn't supposed to be." Shikamaru added convincingly.

"It could be that you are bluffing." The rock nin pointed out.

"Could be," Shikamaru agreed, "but what if we aren't? That would be a mess, wouldn't it?"

This time, the rock ninja sighed. "Then what do you need to open the door?"

Kiba turned to face Shikamaru, disbelievingly. "Are you shitting me? I'm sorry, Shikamaru, but these guys are idiots!"

Shikamaru nodded slight, then said through gritted teeth, "I know that, but I wouldn't insult the people who have the ability to kill us right now."

Kiba rolled his eyes again, as if doubting it.

"Well?" The rock nin demanded, glaring at Kiba icily. "How do you get in?"

"You need the key." Shikamaru enlightened.

The shinobi nodded as if it all fell into place. Then he questioned, "Which one of you has the key?"

"We left it in the room as soon as we heard you!" Kiba faked a laugh. "We're pretty forgetful."

Now every one of the rock ninjas wore a doubtful expression.

"I don't trust either of you. One must not take another shinobi's word for the truth until it is confirmed." The man uttered dubiously.

"Well aren't you a regular Sherlock? Any sly ideas, M. Poirot?" Kiba asked.

**(Okay, for those of you book readers out there who have read mystery… Agatha Christie wrote loads of books. A character in a number of them, and a clever character at that, was M. Hercule Poirot. I do not own him, either!)**

"Check them." The shinobi ordered.

"Very original." Kiba said sarcastically.

After a minute of searching, the room's key was finally located on Kiba's person.

"I-Have-a-plan. Wait-a-sec." Kiba coughed. "Excuse me!" Kiba exclaimed referring to his 'coughing' fit.

"You're pardoned." Shikamaru replied, actually dreading whatever Kiba could possibly have up his sleeve.

"Oh man, don't take that away!" Kiba groaned, speaking of the key.

"The hell is your problem?" the leader rock nin wielding the key asked.

Kiba dove and snatched the key back.

Though he crashed into the floor an instant later, Kiba wore a triumphant grin on his lips.

"Hurry, Shikamaru!" Kiba shouted from the ground.

Now Shikamaru understood, though a few moments later than he or Kiba would have preferred.

The leader rock nin pounced and crashed into Kiba.

"Get off!" Kiba yelled.

One of the leader's fists found it's way to Kiba's gut and let out one good strike and a blow.

Kiba dropped the room key by accident and winced.

He reached out to grab it, but the leader rock nin kicked hit in the side.

Still, this didn't stop Shikamaru's kage mane no jutsu.

After a second or two, Kiba got up and grabbed the room key right back.

"Ass-wad," He spat, "we were bluffing, by the way."

Kiba, since Shikamaru was really way too busy with holding all of the rock nins in place, went into the room and dialed the hospital front desk.

Once he got the arrangements for more Konoha shinobi to come pick the Rock nin up, which took about ten minutes of misunderstandings and over reactions, he hanged the phone up and walked out.

"Kiba," said Shikamaru, "I have a problem!"

"You have to pee now, too?" Kiba questioned.

"Uh, no, that isn't the main problem." Shikamaru responded blankly. "Kage Mane no Jutsu has a time limit, remember?"

"Oh, yeah!" Kiba recalled. "That's right! So, what's the deal?"

"See, that time limit is rather shorter than I would hope it was." Shikamaru continued.

Comprehension dawned on Kiba, finally. "You mean it's going to end, now?"

"Yeah, sort of. In a minute, it will." Shikamaru informed.

"You sure? More Konoha nins will be here in just 20, you can't hold onto the jutsu for that long?"

"No, I can't. It doesn't work that way. This is the maximum amount of time that I can keep them like this when I'm in this state. I need you to lock the door from the inside." Shikamaru explained.

"For that, I'll need to be inside, locking myself in as well." Kiba realized.

"Yeah, but it's to make sure they can't get in." Shikamaru pointed out.

"I can't do that." Kiba shook his head.

"Why not?" Shikamaru demanded.

"There's no guarantee that locking the door will prevent the rock nins from getting in, and besides, one person being alone out there is a bad idea, especially with you. You'll have little or no chakra left over when you get done. You should make a break for the door and lock it, and I can stay out here." Kiba argued.

"That really doesn't help anything. You're the one that got-!"

"Exploded? Really? Yeah, I know, but I have the better chance because I'll actually have chakra left! You know that's right." Kiba insisted.

"There has to be a way to have the door locked and us both out here." Shikamaru mused.

"There isn't," Kiba told him, "it will be only 20 minutes, it'll be fine."

"Whatever." Shikamaru sighed, though he still planned to be out there and not locked in a room.

A moment later, the Kage Mane wore off.

Kiba smashed into Shikamaru, making the shadow user stumble.

His body was a good deal weaker than he had thought it would be.

"Go in, Shikamaru! Our mission is to guard Naruto! You aren't doing too good a job of that, right now!" Kiba reasoned.

Shikamaru scrambled to his feet and ran into the room, closing it and locking it from the inside.

How could he get into the room without unlocking the door?

He looked out the window, at the moon.

How could he get into the room without unlocking the room's door?

Kiba's eyes darted from person to person.

He felt a lot smaller, now. Maybe Shikamaru should have stayed?

Kiba shook the thought out of his head, along with the notions of how much easier this would have been if only he had Akamaru with him.

One of the rock nins rushed in, catching Kiba's attention.

He blocked their attack successfully, but another one slammed their knee into his back.

Kiba winced, but sent the pain to the back of his mind and took that rock nin down, too.

A foot collided with the side of his head and he pitched forward.

Another strike caught him in the chest, and yet another in his side.

Kiba hit the ground hard, but got up again quickly.

A hard jab got him right in the nose and blood spurt out, making a hazard for his sight.

He whirled around and sent the shinobi to the ground.

Another hit at his side reoccurred four times, so apparently the one doing this was going for the 'in the same spot' theory.

Kiba tripped them up and latterly drove a kunai through that person's heart.

An upper cut struck him in the chin, and he was forced to duck a high punch, resulting in a lower kick to hit him in the face.

Suddenly, something very sharp dug deep into his right leg.

Kiba began to swivel around on the leg to check it, but his foot caught in something and twisted badly.

Already unsteady on his feet, someone punched him in the gut and Kiba went to his knees.

After a swift but sharp kick in the back, the Konoha shinobi found himself flat on his face, something pushing down on his back.

As some rock nin raised his torso backwards against his back, a searing pain made itself known, clearly coming from this action.

Cold laughter rang in his ears as he was allowed to lay face flat on the tile once more.

A hand came down and fastened around the roots of his hair, lifting his whole body up.

"Still have the key? It seems that the door is really locked, now." The leader grinned.

"No." Kiba grimaced. "This time I really did lock it in there."

The leader clouted the Inuzuka hard in the jaw before speaking for a second time. "You sure?"

"Positive, dumb-fuck." Kiba cussed. **(Sorry for all the cussing, it's been, like, what? 15 or 16 times already? Please bear with me, though!) **

The rock nin leader hit him hard in the ribs, and the continued the brutal inquiry.

Kiba winced, then spat up blood.

"I'm waiting for the answer." The rock nin said impatiently.

"And I'm waiting for you to get off my case, but then again, some things never happen. You still don't get the concept of loyalty, do you? Besides, I already gave you an answer. The key is in the room." Kiba answered.

The shinobi sneered. "You really aren't that smart, are you?"

"I've been trying to say the same about you, but you don't have the intelligence to keep your attention on one anything." Kiba was cut short by another blast of force.

"Who do you think you're helping? Do you think this is noble or something? Protecting the village monster?" The leader derided.

Kiba smirked, despite the pain. "No, it's not for my benefit, if you can even grasp the concept of doing something that doesn't help you, specifically. You must be some kind of idiot to believe that Naruto is the village monster."

Kiba took another cruel blow right before the leader spoke again. "You must be some sort of idiot for thinking that it would only be 20 minutes, that it would be easy, maybe there was pity." The leader ranted.

"That's true, but I can't help but think that we all have humanity, if even only a little. I was stupid not to realize you were sadistic, tyrannical pigs."

A hard blow sent Kiba back to the ground with a grunt of pain.

"Konoha has crass shinobi, that is undeniable. They certainly are annoying." The leader spat the words out with distaste.

"Glad to have been of no service, to you." Kiba growled.

The leader planted his foot into Kiba's side and sent him skidding across the room.

"How do you open the door?" The leader asked the already answered question in his frustration.

"You use a key." Kiba answered laughing at him.

The leader gave him a cold glare and kicked him again.

"Where is the key?" He questioned.

"It's in the room, I already told you. How many times do I have to tell you?" Kiba responded miserably.

"As many times as I ask." Crushing his foot down into the ninken user's chest, the leader smirked. "Now, tell me where that key is."

"It's in the room." Kiba gasped. "Now get your stupid shit out of here, or I'm gonna beat your ass!"

"That's hard to believe when I'm doing that to you." The leader commented, followed by snickers from the other remaining rock ninjas.

"Someone will." Kiba replied confidently.

"It just won't be you." The leader grinned.

"Right, but that doesn't matter." Kiba agreed.

"Exactly, because you won't be here." The leader nodded.

"I guess not, I mean, that's really completely up to you." Kiba recoiled in pain from being further crushed.

"Unless you tell me where the key is."

"I don't think you really want to know that, because each time I tell you, you just get angry." Kiba answered.

"In that case, please tell me again."

"It's in the room." Kiba groaned.

The leader crushed down harder, causing yet more pain to Kiba.

A moment later, Naruto burst into the room through the front entrance, followed by a very confused Sakura and a somewhat in the loop Shikamaru.

"Kiba." Sakura and Shikamaru uttered, surprised.

Naruto just looked on, fury in his scarlet eyes.

**1234567890**

**Sorry! Could not stop writing! I wrote this all in one day, and sure, I got stuck here and there, but here it is! Viola! This chappie is done! Sorry that it was so long and sorry for the multiple profanities. I think the total was around 18 to 22, I can't remember, but sorry anyway! Review, please! Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening!**

**-WarRain.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I hope you enjoyed last chap. I do not own Naruto! On to the fic! Oh yeah, almost forgot! The 'spelling error' last chap wasn't really a spelling error. 'Exploded' was sort of meant as a half assed counter to Sakura's 'big boy words' thing, even though she wasn't there. Anything else that you sharp eyed readers caught, well, I believe that those might be errors. Enjoy!**

**1234567890**

"It's the Kyuubi vessel. Be ready, he's probably unpredictable, so you'll need to watch your step around h-!" Naruto promptly interrupted the leader by smashing him in the jaw.

The blow was thrown with such force that the Rock nin was actually lifted off his feet.

With a grunt and a cry of surprise, the leader collapsed on the floor.

"You okay, Kiba?" Naruto went instantly from angry to caring, as if he was having intense mood swings, and offered a hand to the ninken user.

"Thanks," Kiba said, taking the hand, "I'm alright, I guess."

"Brat." The leader snarled, his fellowship of other rock nins now a bit iffy and backing away, inch by inch.

"Stop!" Naruto barked, making them freeze in their tracks.

Naruto turned his cold glare onto the leader, having taken care of his first worry.

"You are one twisted bastard." He spat, completely knocking the crap of out him with one kick.

Naruto was in quite a rage, and not one person really felt like crossing him.

"Well?" Naruto began impatiently. "Where's your sick, makeshift courage now? Did you even have it when you were beating up on one person or are you just having second guesses on whether this is really right or wrong?"

No one answered.

"Give me an answer!" Naruto yelled, scarlet eyes flashing.

The lack of reply resulted in further enraging Naruto, who then proceeded to advance on them.

"No answer? Maybe I should try to use the same methods as you do? You know, force it out?" He suggested, rage akin to the Kyuubi's in his voice.

Fear shone on their faces as if they were looking the Kyuubi itself right in the eye.

"W-we surrender! Stop, please!" A rock nin spoke up fearfully.

Naruto pulled out a kunai and approached the Rock nins slowly, smirking.

Many were too paralyzed with fear to move and their comrades left them behind as they ran away.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru yelled, trying to discourage the possible slaughter. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Naruto turned to look at Shikamaru, confused. "They would have done the same to us." He replied, and then turned back.

However, someone hurtled into him and knocked him to the floor.

"Sa-Sakura?" Naruto asked.

Sakura didn't respond and just held on, not willing to let Naruto spill the blood of the surrendered on his hands, even if Kyuubi was controlling his actions.

"Sakura-chan…?" Naruto repeated.

"They surrendered! Don't you get it? They're done! They don't want to die and are willing to give themselves over if you spare them!" She cried.

"I…" Naruto started, "I… Sorry, Sakura-chan. I didn't mean it."

Sakura then suddenly became aware of red spilling onto her. "What-?"

"You… you're bleeding." Kiba noticed. "Naruto, you're bleeding!"

Naruto's scarlet eyes flickered blue again, changing back into himself.

Blood spilled out of a not yet completely closed wound.

"What's this?" Naruto murmured.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know." Naruto responded, a little smile on his lips.

Out of the blue, his laughter came hysterically, almost as if he had gone insane.

She put a hand over the bleeding wound, trying desperately to stem the flow.

"Naruto! Hey, look at me! Stop laughing, you're speeding up your pulse and that doesn't do you or me any good! Try to calm down so that your blood flow eases and comes slower." Sakura instructed.

Naruto gulped in an attempted to stop laughing, as if it was physically paining him to do so.

"O-okay. Wh-what now, Sa-kura-c-chan? Wha-what do I-I do?" Gasped Naruto, calming himself.

"Try to breathe normally. That's it, don't waste your breath, and just stay calm. Good." Sakura nodded.

"Sorry." Naruto apologized, again.

"It's fine!" Sakura forgave.

"Another thing, sorry… I forgot… you went…" Naruto rambled.

"What's that about?" Kiba asked. "Hey! Hey, Naruto, what-?"

"Ohayo, Kiba! Sorry… It's not morning is it? You would not believe all the things I did! Man, it was hilarious! You should've been there, Kiba! Ducks… everywhere… I shot them with a… kunai. Sorry… I ate the… dog drooled last night." Naruto said dizzily.

"Uh, it's okay, I guess. I don't know what you're talking about, though." Kiba replied, mystified.

"Thanks… I thought you would hold a grudge against… Akamaru peed on my pants a year ago." Naruto babbled. **(All of Naruto's ramblings… they were inspired by what my brother has said in his sleep, of course, edited to fit the fic. Nothing in what Naruto said is a spelling error, though. It's meant to be the way it is.)**

"He's delirious." Shikamaru muttered.

Sakura turned to the normally laid back character that is Shikamaru, determination to make things all right blazing in her green eyes.

"Go to the front desk, Shikamaru. Ask for medics. Now!" She ordered.

Not wanting to feel Sakura's wrath, Shikamaru bolted.

The Jounin coming arrived instantly after Shikamaru left.

Kakashi was among them, and was definitely not happy.

They all had questions that there was no time to answer to.

A few minutes later, Shikamaru was back with two medics, ready to serve in anyway needed.

By that time, everything was under control, the Rock nins remaining were rounded up and under management and Naruto was being checked over.

Shortly after checking over Sakura, Kiba, and Shikamaru and making sure they could get to a room on their own okay, the two medics carried Naruto away.

Sakura couldn't ignore the look of worry in Kakashi's eyes as he looked at her.

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"I told you it would happen to you soon enough." Sakura said to Kiba, who scowled.

"Thanks. I'll be sure to tell my physic that you predict the future better than her." He responded sarcastically.

Sakura grinned. "Watch out, I might tell you something else."

"Like what? Humor me to see if you truly have a gift." Kiba requested.

Shikamaru snorted. "I have a few suggestions."

"What are they?" Sakura feigned intense curiosity.

"One: We will all have ramen for lunch. Two: The orange juice will have pulp in it. Three: When you take a drink of the milk in your hospital room, it will be sour. Four: Someone will come to visit you, today, Kiba." Shikamaru shrugged.

"I gotta see this!" Sakura announced and ran to her room, coming back with a carton of milk.

"Really, when?" Kiba asked.

"In five minutes."

Sakura took a swig, gagged on the milk and spat it out. "Cool." She uttered.

Shikamaru grinned.

"Who is it?" Kiba asked.

Shikamaru contorted his face with a look of hard concentration, looking out the window, as if it helped him 'see beyond'. "Hinata."

"Why will we eat ramen?" Sakura questioned.

"They will have a shortage of any other food." Shikamaru shrugged.

"Why will the orange juice have pulp in it?" Kiba asked suspiciously.

"The employees won't find the kind without pulp." Shikamaru answered.

A moment later, a nurse came in with a tray with three bowls on it and three glasses. "Sorry, we only have ramen today and don't have orange juice without pulp. No one can find it." The nurse said.

"It's okay." Shikamaru smirked at the shocked looks on Sakura and Kiba's faces.

Once the nurse left, Kiba turned to Shikamaru.

"How did you know that?" He asked, nonplused.

"I 'saw beyond'." Shikamaru laughed.

"Holy hell." Kiba murmured. "He's a genius."

"He's a mind freak." Sakura agreed, less stunned than Kiba, but still pretty amazed.

A minute later, a knock came at the door. "Hyuuga, Hinata. Should we let her in?" A voice asked.

The noodles in Sakura and Kiba's mouths dribbled out.

"Uuuhhh, yeah!" Kiba finally answered.

Hinata walked in, nervously watching the astonished looks on the faces of Kiba and Sakura's.

"How? How, damn it!" Sakura questioned with feigned shock and anger.

Hinata looked at her, a little surprised. "Ohayo, Kiba-kun, Sakura-san. Shikamaru-san… uh, what's wrong with them?" She added quietly to Shikamaru.

He chuckled. "Nothing, I just 'predicted' that you would come here, that's all."

"Oh." Hinata sighed, relieved that her friends hadn't gone insane.

"How, how did you know it would happen? It's insane." Kiba repeated.

"The power of observation. I looked at the menu, saw Sakura's carton of milk, and looked out the window to see Hinata." Shikamaru said simply.

"Oh… right, okay." Sakura shrugged, no longer bothered by it.

"Are you alright, both of you?" Hinata asked Sakura and Kiba.

"So so." Sakura sighed. "I'm worried about Naruto."

"Ah… I hope there really is no reason to be." Hinata expressed. **(She's over Naruto, now. She respects that Sakura is falling for the fox boy, and is okay with it. She has other people to look out for, Hinata does.)**

"I wish there wasn't, but… this time, there is." Sakura replied, dolefully.

Hinata nodded, understanding. "And you, Kiba? You're doing fine?"

Kiba shrugged. "I'm okay. I could be better, but it's good, relatively. You okay, Hinata?" He grinned.

Hinata blushed. "I suppose. Shino-kun isn't back yet, and it's kind of quiet. I think I'm going to take a shift with Shikamaru. That's what Kurenai sensei says. They want to move Naruto to this room, to have Sakura and you nearby in case of anything going wrong."

Interested in the conversation, Sakura almost missed the fact that she was running late for her meeting with Kakashi.

"I have to go, Kakashi-sensei is probably waiting… Or, probably not." Sakura laughed, getting up and starting towards the door.

"Hey, Sakura!" Kiba said, getting the pink haired shinobi's attention. "Sorry."

"For what?" Sakura asked, genuinely perplexed by the admission of guilt of Kiba's.

"For being an ass. I already told Shikamaru, but… I think I owe you for it."

"I really don't think so." Sakura replied.

"Fine then," Kiba responded, grinning, "I'm not sorry for being an ass. I'm glad I did it."

"Good, I wouldn't want you to regret something so fun as that!" Sakura exclaimed, and then walked out of the room.

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"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura yelled, reaching team 7's old meeting spot.

"You're late…" Kakashi spoke up, a twinkle in his eye.

"Yeah, well… it's payment for you being late. Besides, how come you're on time?" Sakura inquired, teasingly.

"It's important. Why are you so worried?" Kakashi asked.

"I-I, what?"

"You're bothered by something. Something being… Naruto, perhaps, is that person?"

"I… yeah." Sakura admitted.

"Why? You and him… have connected, haven't you? It's because of the Kyuubi, correct?"

Sakura nodded. "It's becoming harder for him to keep the Kyuubi under the surface."

"That prevents you from putting your feelings out there? Prevents you from admitting that you've grown to love him?" Kakashi questioned.

"What? How-?" Sakura began.

"I can help you figure out which is more important, Sakura. If protecting yourself is, then I'm wrong, but you might as well know if you can continue on keeping your secret just to keep yourself safe."

"Then show me." Sakura spoke with determination. She wouldn't back down with this, whatever it could be.

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**End chapter.**

**Did you like it? I hope so, because I got in trouble for being on the computer for so long. I kept getting stuck! Review please!**

**Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening!**

**-WarRain.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well… sorry that it took such a while for me to update…Thank you guys for reviewing, I'd like more insight, but I'm happy with what I have. I do not own Naruto.**

**On to the fic.**

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"You seem confident about all of this, despite the fact that I have told you nothing of what it is that you have to do." Kakashi observed.

"Wh-what?! It better not be anything perverted you-!" Sakura began in a rage.

"Hey! Give me more credit than that! Do you think that I am really so much involved in my perversion that I would actually suggest to my only female student that-!"

"Alright, I get it! You aren't like that. So, tell me what it is that's going to happen." Sakura sighed.

"Right, you mean you want me to tell you what's up before you get in over your head? I was merely stating that you have confidence in even a situation that you know nothing about." Kakashi shrugged.

Sakura stood there, flabbergasted. "You're telling me that you won't, will not tell me what I'm getting myself into?"

"It's not that I won't, I can't. It's very hard to explain, Sakura. If I told you, you wouldn't do it because it won't make sense and you'll think I'm insane." Kakashi said casually.

"And the fact that you won't, can't, whatever, tell me what is going to happen doesn't make me not want to do it and makes me not think you're insane?" Sakura relayed the confusing message back.

"Well, that was the message I hoped would come across." Kakashi put in.

"Err… okay." Sakura said. "So, it's too hard to explain it but it will definitely help?"

"Without a doubt. Unless something goes terribly wrong." Kakashi informed.

"That's comforting knowing something can go terribly wrong."

"There isn't a thing in the world that can't go wrong unless it's perfect, and we are yet to find perfection." Kakashi stated smartly.

"True," nodded Sakura, "there is no perfect."

"Then, do you want to begin, or will you back out?" Kakashi asked daringly.

"Right… let's set this up now." Sakura decided.

"Good, I'm glad you feel that way. It'll probably help you and everyone else a lot." Kakashi expressed. "Though, it might be a little difficult to explain to most of them."

"Really? How so?" Sakura questioned.

"Well, your disappearance may be disturbing to what's left of the rookie 9, but I'll show them that you're okay… and I think Naruto might get really angry after he finds out what I've done, but… He'll see it my way pretty quickly after I put him in your situation." Kakashi explained mysteriously, with the air of weighing the pros and cons of his idea, and the pros out-weighed the cons.

Sakura was seriously questioning her decisions now, not only of agreeing to Kakashi's mystery idea, but her decision on the sanity of Kakashi's, as well.

She was a little afraid, now. Sure, she was becoming a great shinobi, but her leg was still a little stiff and her timing a little slower because of the antibiotics still leaving her system, and she wasn't exactly sure how she would battle it out with her sensei.

He knew her every weakness, and she knew little of his. Incase he attacked her straight out, she would have to bolt it.

"I-I don't know if that's a good I-idea, K-Kakashi-sensei." She stuttered.

Kakashi gave her a look of perplexity, then gave a light scoff. "No need to panic… I'm not about to attack you… or any of that."

"Oh, um… yeah." Sakura went along with it, still a bit suspicious.

"Don't worry, I've been your sensei for… what, six years now? You can trust me. Just relax and clear your mind. If you don't the jutsu will go wrong and… we'll probably both be severely injured." Kakashi tried to say soothingly.

"Great… If I mess up, we both go down." Sakura mumbled. 'And it's a jutsu…' she thought.

"I'm confident that you won't, Sakura." Kakashi assured.

"Thanks." Sakura thanked.

"Now, don't speak… just think nothing…" Kakashi ordered.

"If I were Naruto, that would be an easy feat." Sakura wisecracked.

A smile broke over Kakashi's lips, but he fought it down, though Sakura could hear the humor in his voice when he spoke. "Okay, okay, be quiet now. Don't think or say a word."

This was, as Sakura had hinted at with her wisecrack, not such an easy feat for her.

With the knowledge that this could go wrong and the lack of knowledge of what the jutsu would do, her head was buzzing, but somehow, SOMEHOW, she quieted her racing thoughts. She closed her eyes and stilled herself.

"Now, I'll start the jutsu." Kakashi's voice hummed.

She barely heard it. She was in the zone.

All of a sudden, her body was sinking and she couldn't stop.

It felt like she was falling into the ground forever.

This wasn't a feeling Sakura enjoyed, but it was much better than spinning around, faster and faster until she was nauseous.

The sinking certainly was welcomer than the spinning, or any kind of pain she might have had to endure if not for this method.

All at once, she smacked into the ground.

It took a little while for her brain and soul to catch up with her body.

Flat on her stomach, she opened her eyes, completely confused.

"What the hell? Wh-where… this isn't Konoha the way I remember it from a minute ago…" Sakura said and found, to her horror, that her voice wasn't her same voice.

The voice was a different pitch, but not by much.

Sakura sneezed. "Maybe I'm getting sick and it's part of the jutsu…. Either that or… someone is speaking of me."

She sneezed again.

"Rin-chan!" A voice yelled somewhere beyond a lump of dirt.

He sounded like Naruto, a bit.

Was this in the future?

'The hell is up with this Rin-chan? Is it Naruto's pet name for me or something?' Sakura wondered.

"Rin-chan…!" The voice trailed off, as if thinking of something else to say or concentrating on getting to where Sakura was.

Then, a dark haired boy popped out over the mound of dirt, tripped over a large branch stuck in the dirt, but hidden from sight, and rolled down the hill towards Sakura.

He even looked like Naruto, only with dyed hair and he still wore goggles.

But, one thing was for sure: This was definitely not in the future.

The boy was only about 12 or 13 years old.

'Wait, he could be a son… adopted?' Sakura pondered. 'Then again, how many children call their parent or foster parent Rin-chan, or for that matter, anything that ends with a chan?'

He came to a stop, upside-down, about a yard from Sakura.

He laughed a little, then grabbed her wrist to pull her up. When she was on her feet, he still didn't let go.

"Ohayo, Rin-chan!" He exclaimed with great enthusiasm.

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**Sorry, this was a pretty short chapter, but hopefully I had you going there for a minute. I'm going to try to fit in at least one more update before then, but on July 13, I can't update until August 7 or 8, at least, I don't think I will be able to. That goes for my other fic, as well. I'm going on a three-week vacation to somewhere in these United States very north. Please review!**

**Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening!**

**-WarRain.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the slow update. I do not own Naruto.**

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"Whose Rin?" Sakura asked.

"Uh… you are." The boy said.

"Naruto?" Sakura squinted at the raven-haired boy.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"Okay then. Who might you be if you aren't Naruto?" She questioned.

"I might be Uchiha, Obito. We're on the same team." He blushed. "Arashi-sensei, something's up with…" He paused upon getting a look of mixed confusion and slight anger from Sakura. "Rin…?"

The man who was apparently Arashi-sensei appeared.

He was blonde with hair sticking up _everywhere_. He stood with such confidence and his blue eyes shown with determination and resilience. He looked familiar… Arashi… the Yondaime.

Their eyes connected for a moment, then he hesitated. He looked like he was trying to decide whether or not to say something on the subject of how 'Rin' seemed.

Apparently, he decided against it and simply said, "She seems fine, Obito."

Arashi gave Sakura a nod before turning around and walking away.

"Well… I guess if sensei says you're okay, you're just fine!" Obito shrugged.

"I guess." She stared off after Arashi. Apparently many people here held resemblance to Naruto.

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Kakashi woke up at six o'clock in the morning, and began his usual morning routine.

He got up, stepped into the shower for a few minutes, stepped out, got dressed and sat down to eat breakfast.

He left his home and went straight to the memorial stone to talk to Obito.

"Take care of her, Obito. I don't need a mess back then… no one does." He finished, at about eight A.M. and went to the hospital.

He walked into Naruto's new room to discover no one guarding it.

'Stupid,' he thought, 'so stupid to think that no one would dare attack in broad daylight.'

To his dismay, he also found no one but Naruto was inside the room.

'Must've let Kiba out early. Still, no one guarding the room seems rather strange. Huh, maybe I made too big of an assumption.' Kakashi changed his mind upon feeling a presence in the room.

"Good, Ino. I almost passed you by." Kakashi said, having caught her.

With a well-humored 'hmph', Ino appeared. "Just making sure you weren't an imposter."

"Why are you the only one standing guard?" Kakashi asked.

"That's what I asked, but they told me they sent Kiba out to stretch his legs." Ino responded.

"What of Hinata and Shikamaru?" Kakashi persisted.

"Hinata's out with Kiba, I suppose Shikamaru went with them, because he's got a few hours off. They might've picked Chouji up, too."

"That's odd." Kakashi mused.

"Eh, whatever. I can handle most by myself. The famous Hattake, Kakashi, Copy Cat ninja almost missed me." Ino shrugged.

"I have no doubt of your abilities, but I am a little… tense about the whole situation." Kakashi paused.

"I know, I know… 'Just look at what happened to Shikamaru and Kiba.' Chouji said the same thing." Ino replied.

"We have no reason to believe they will attack in such great numbers. However, there were large portions of bunshins. Still, they we out numbered dramatically by the real ninjas." Kakashi warned.

"I'll be careful." Ino answered, decoding Kakashi's speech.

Kakashi nodded before walking over to Naruto's bed.

"You're concerned." Ino observed.

Kakashi sighed. "Aren't you?"

Ino nodded.

"Sorry, Naruto." Kakashi whispered just loud enough for Naruto to hear IF he was awake.

He left the hospital soon after that, trying to find a place to be.

A few minutes later, he heard someone call his name. "Oi! Kakashi-sensei!"

He turned to see three people making their way towards him.

"What's up?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing really." Was Shikamaru's answer.

"I thought it was kind of weird that I get shoved out and told to stretch my legs by some medic nin, but that doesn't really matter too much." Kiba answered.

Kakashi nodded yet again. He had a feeling that this would turn out to be troublesome for him.

"But," Kiba plunged on, despite the look of confusion from Shikamaru, "I am wondering where Sakura is."

Shikamaru seemed interested in this point, and looked at Kakashi for an answer.

When none was given, Shikamaru spoke. "I saw her yesterday, and she said she was running late for a meeting with you. I can't be the only person here who thinks that she didn't come back from that meeting, can I?"

Kakashi's lazy eye twitched. 'Damn, they suspect foul play… how to explain _this_ without giving the wrong impression… I don't believe there is a possible way for that to happen.'

"No, you aren't." Kiba said, agreeing with Shikamaru's notion. "One way or another, Haruno, Sakura did not come back from that meeting. No one has seen her since then; she isn't at her home or at the hospital. And her scent ends right where you met her, at Team 7's meeting spot. So let's have it, sensei."

Kakashi sighed. He knew this would be troublesome.

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"Come on, Rin. We need to start training, now." Obito tugged on Sakura's hand.

"Wha-?" Sakura began before she was pulled off after Obito.

"Stop running like a moron, Obito." A voice said.

"Shut up, teme!" Obito replied to another boy with a shock of silver hair.

"Wh-Who is that?" Sakura asked Obito, not daring to believe her eyes.

"Don't worry about him, Rin-chan. That there is Kakashi-teme." Obito responded.

Sakura gulped. Was this possible? Her sensei was a… thirteen year-old?

"N-no way." Sakura shook her head. "That is completely impossible! No, sorry, but I'm NOT buying that! He doesn't even have his sharingan!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

Obito puffed his chest out importantly and said, "That bastard will never have one! He's a Hattake, not an Uchiha. But, one day, I'll have the sharingan and surpass him, and I'll be a legend. Not like him."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Right, like that'll ever happen to an idiot like you."

"This is too weird." Sakura expressed.

"Yeah, no kidding. Alright, Rin, we should-!"

"No." Kakashi interrupted Obito.

"What do you mean, 'No'?" Obito asked, angry at Kakashi constantly being on his case.

"That isn't Rin." Kakashi's eyes twinkled. "That's someone that isn't supposed to be here."

"Like an imposter? I dunno, Kakashi… Arashi-sensei would have said something if it was an imposter, or if she didn't mean well." Obito shrugged.

"That's it… she doesn't have ill intentions… she just isn't Rin… somehow, someway… That isn't Rin." Kakashi replied.

"Alright, now I think you're both losing it. Is it something in the air or have you guys just been snuffing up some-?" Obito was once again interrupted.

"Baka, shut up…" Kakashi warned.

"So you have been smoking weed or something, haven't you?" Obito returned.

Kakashi absent-mindedly nodded, looking 'Rin' over.

"Knew it… it would be just like you to try to get a buzz 'cause you can't feel happy normally…" Obito muttered.

"Quit being so dramatic." Kakashi ordered.

"I'm sick of you giving me commands! Don't tell me to do something I won't do!" Obito frowned.

"Then I might as well not tell you to do anything because what you actually do, you do wrong." Kakashi remarked snidely.

"That's it!" Obito lunged at Kakashi and tore him off of the rock he was sitting on.

Kakashi and Obito exchanged forceful face blows and kept at just that until Kakashi got up and kicked Obito in the side.

Obito tripped Kakashi and punched him in the gut.

Arashi tugged both Obito and Kakashi apart before they could continue their little fight.

A thin trail of blood had spilled from Obito's mouth down his chin and Kakashi sported a somewhat black eye and somewhat knotted stomach.

Neither could find who had won the fight.

"I got first blood." Kakashi smirked.

"I hit you more than you hit me." Obito retorted childishly.

Sakura giggled. Man, were these two immature! Almost like Naruto and Sasuke…

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Kakashi sighed again. How did he continuously get himself into these messes?

He winced slightly when a mild pain shot through his gut.

Sakura must've messed time up just a little with her mere presence in Rin's body.

"It's hard to explain… Sakura… she's… she's not with _us_ right now." Kakashi said with the air of someone talking about another's death.

"You killed her?" Kiba asked incredulously.

Hinata flushed. This was very strange.

"No." Kakashi went on. "It might sound like I did, but that isn't what happened." He explained, slightly flustered with how this was turning out.

"So what did you do?" Shikamaru asked.

"I… sent her back in time." At this, all three ninja in front of him wore extremely doubtful expressions.

"That doesn't seem likely, sensei." Shikamaru pointed out, barely containing his anger.

He liked Sakura; she was a good friend, even if women were troublesome.

"So what triggered you sudden insanity, Kakashi-sensei? Did you suddenly decide Sakura was a hindrance?" Kiba asked, not as disciplined as Shikamaru in disguising his fury.

Hinata looked down at the ground, unable to believe the situation. It didn't add up, but what Kakashi said just didn't make sense.

Kakashi mentally groaned. That was the LAST time he sent anyone back in time without a witness there to confirm that that was, in fact, what he did.

"I can see it'll be hard to make you believe my story." Kakashi said.

"Well, especially when you say it like that, it's hard to give you a chance." Shikamaru glared.

"Not unless you can provide us evidence." Hinata spoke up, surprising Kakashi.

"Or, provide us Sakura. Bring here back from 'back then'." Kiba insisted.

"Not yet." Kakashi refused, shaking his head and fully knowing he would instantly regret his refusal.

"Alright." Shikamaru shrugged, getting into his fighting stance. "Next time you lie, make up a better excuse."

Kiba fell into his own stance, as did Hinata, though a little reluctantly.

"If you won't show us where Sakura is, we can find out."

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**End chapter. Not my best work, I'm afraid… I was distracted, but… I hope you enjoyed! Review please!**

**-WarRain**.


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